BIRDS OF COLORADO. 93 



1878. During the fall they wander up to at least 13,000 feet; 

 in October begin to descend into the valleys. Most of them 

 remain through the winter at 7,000 to 9,000 feet, but a few 

 corne down to the plains. H. G. Hoskins sent one for identifi- 

 cation taken at Burlington, near the Kansas line, in January, 

 1896, and says that others have been seen there occasionally. 

 They have also been taken as wanderers in South Dakota, 

 western Nebraska and western Kansas. They begin the 

 upward movement early in the spring, before most other mi- 

 grants, and are almost the earliest birds to nest at 9,000 feet. 



492. Cyanocephalus cyanocephafus. Pinon Jay. 



Resident; abundant, locally. In the summer the Pinon 

 Jay deserves its name, for it breeds almost exclusively among 

 the pinon pines from 7,000 to 8,000 feet. A few nests have 

 been found as low as 5,000 feet and as high as 9,000. First 

 eggs are laid the last of March and first of April, and eggs are 

 found as late as the middle of May. Keeps in small parties 

 during the breeding season, and in large flocks the remainder 

 of the year. Continually changing location according to food 

 supply. In autumn wanders far above the pinon pines to 

 13,000 feet. I,ate in October begins to descend, and spends the 

 winter in the lower foothills and on the edge of the plains. At 

 this season it wanders eastward across Colorado to Nebraska 

 and Kansas. During the winters of 1889, 1890 and 1891 large 

 flocks were seen in Finney County in southwestern Kansas. 

 Returns to the pinon pines early in spring. 



494. Dolichonyx oryzivorus. Bobolink. 



Summer visitant; rare. Occurs only east of the range on 

 the plains and at the base of the foothills. Henshaw saw three 

 at the Huerfano crossing in May, 1873, Allen and Brewster 

 noted one at Colorado Springs May 18, and two others were 

 reported May 23. Prof. Wm. Osburn writes he has seen one at 

 Loveland and there was one in the Maxwell Collection. This 

 completes the record to date for Colorado. Not known to breed 

 in the State. The bird commonly known in Colorado as the 

 "Bobolink" is the I^ark Bunting {Calamospiza melanocorys). 



495. Molothrus ater. Cowbird. 



Summer resident ; common. Confined principally to the 

 lower regions, breeding from the plains to 8,000 feet. As com- 

 mon on the plains as anywhere in the Mississippi Valley. 

 Arrives the last of March and leaves late in September. 



497. Xanthocephalus xanthocephalus. Yellow-headed 



Blackbird. 



Summer resident ; common. In migration occurs through- 

 out the State and breeds in suitable places on the plains and 



